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Original poster

Has anyone used the Paris Metro with tickets stored on phone?

14 replies

HPFA · 06/04/2025 19:28

DD is off on a trip to Paris tomorrow. I said I would buy her some Metro tickets as a present.

We bought them on the Bonjour RATP app but now she's really nervous because you can't actually see the tickets.

The RATP app shows a purchase of 10 and says the tickets are in the "Mes Navigos" app which she has but this doesn't actually show any tickets!

Do the gates just pick up the tickets without them actually showing on the phone?

Hope this doesn't sound confusing!

OP posts:
winetime1980 · 06/04/2025 21:46

They are stored on the app. Look at the bottom of the screen where it says ‘tickets’. Just hold your phone over the terminal as you enter and the barrier will work.
Have an amazing time!

Runninghappy · 06/04/2025 21:56

Yes as above, it’s really easy. Just scan your phone at the turnstiles. Be careful of phones and wallets at tourist hotspots and have an amazing time

kiwiblue · 06/04/2025 22:09

Yes exactly, it picks up on them without showing actual tickets. DH and I also found this very confusing and didn't believe it would work but it did.

Original poster
HPFA · 07/04/2025 05:38

Thanks everybody and that's very reassuring.

I'm ridiculously nervous about DD having a solo trip - the worrying never stops does it?

OP posts:
Simonjt · 07/04/2025 05:54

Yes its very easy, if you put the navigo card in the wallet in her phone she can just use it as a contactless card, but instead of paying cash each time, it deducts a ticket each time.

There are a few different types of metro, on some you have to open the doors yourself, so if a door doesn’t open she needs to have a quick look, some are buttons, others have a physical catch.

RedHelenB · 07/04/2025 06:45

It's an absolute nightmare. I ended up having to show the receipts that I'd bought them or push through the barrier with my friend if there was no one there.

JoanOgden · 07/04/2025 07:16

It's a ridiculous system (why not just use contactless like London??) but it worked fine for me.

kiwiblue · 07/04/2025 12:48

Simonjt · 07/04/2025 05:54

Yes its very easy, if you put the navigo card in the wallet in her phone she can just use it as a contactless card, but instead of paying cash each time, it deducts a ticket each time.

There are a few different types of metro, on some you have to open the doors yourself, so if a door doesn’t open she needs to have a quick look, some are buttons, others have a physical catch.

I don't think this is the same. We did what the OP is talking about in Paris recently, we had the Bonjour RATP app and you have to have the My Navigo app too but you don't have a Navigo card. It happens through the Bonjour RATP app. The interface is very confusing as you can't see any actual tickets really. But it works! It's so complicated, also can't see why they can't be contactless. Saw so many paper metro tickets everywhere as well and people still buying them.

Original poster
HPFA · 07/04/2025 13:34

kiwiblue · 07/04/2025 12:48

I don't think this is the same. We did what the OP is talking about in Paris recently, we had the Bonjour RATP app and you have to have the My Navigo app too but you don't have a Navigo card. It happens through the Bonjour RATP app. The interface is very confusing as you can't see any actual tickets really. But it works! It's so complicated, also can't see why they can't be contactless. Saw so many paper metro tickets everywhere as well and people still buying them.

Show quote history

Yes, it's really not the most obvious!

The annoying thing is I actually have a Navigo card but it still has the old style tickets loaded on it which don't cover the RER Zone 2 where her hotel is. And you can't put the new tickets on which do cover that until you've used up the old ones!

Anyway if her phone tickets don't work by some horrible chance she'll just have to queue up for the machines. The last time I was in Gare du Nord the queues were nothing like the usual melee - presumably because so many people are now using the apps.

OP posts:
OchreSwan · 07/04/2025 13:37

Simonjt · 07/04/2025 05:54

Yes its very easy, if you put the navigo card in the wallet in her phone she can just use it as a contactless card, but instead of paying cash each time, it deducts a ticket each time.

There are a few different types of metro, on some you have to open the doors yourself, so if a door doesn’t open she needs to have a quick look, some are buttons, others have a physical catch.

The mechanics are quite different depending on what type of phone you have (based on my experience!). iPhones work exactly as you suggest, @Simonjt but it’s quite different on android.

It really perplexed us when we visited in November last year as we couldn’t seem to find where the tickets were stored on android, but eventually realised you just have to trust the process and scan your phone with the screen unlocked, and it doesn’t matter that you don’t have an actual digital card with the tickets.

Simonjt · 07/04/2025 15:28

kiwiblue · 07/04/2025 12:48

I don't think this is the same. We did what the OP is talking about in Paris recently, we had the Bonjour RATP app and you have to have the My Navigo app too but you don't have a Navigo card. It happens through the Bonjour RATP app. The interface is very confusing as you can't see any actual tickets really. But it works! It's so complicated, also can't see why they can't be contactless. Saw so many paper metro tickets everywhere as well and people still buying them.

Show quote history

This is what I did mid March this year and it worked everytime.

Simonjt · 07/04/2025 15:29

OchreSwan · 07/04/2025 13:37

The mechanics are quite different depending on what type of phone you have (based on my experience!). iPhones work exactly as you suggest, @Simonjt but it’s quite different on android.

It really perplexed us when we visited in November last year as we couldn’t seem to find where the tickets were stored on android, but eventually realised you just have to trust the process and scan your phone with the screen unlocked, and it doesn’t matter that you don’t have an actual digital card with the tickets.

Show quote history

Ah I didn’t think about android being different, I know with apple you can put them on your watch wallet as well.

kiwiblue · 07/04/2025 21:32

Simonjt · 07/04/2025 15:28

This is what I did mid March this year and it worked everytime.

Show quote history

Yes it worked every time for me as well, but you couldn't see any tickets and there was no wallet. I guess as someone else said it's an apple Vs android thing.

Original poster
HPFA · 07/04/2025 21:34

Well, I got a text message from DD to say she was on the train to her accommodation so I guess the tickets did work!

Thanks to everyone for the reassurances - now I need to worry about what she's getting up to in a shared dorm in a big youth hostel..........

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